The Babe Ruth Guide For Surviving Spring Training

Last night I was perusing through Google's great archives on old newspaper articles, reading up on Babe Ruth. I felt like the baseball players of today could learn from some of the lessons of Babe Ruth's day and take some advice from the Bambino (who spent spring training for much of his career in St. Petersburg as shown on the right by a photo from the St. Petersburg Times). So after compiling articles on different topics relating to Major League Baseball spring training, I would like to present you with "The Babe Ruth's Guide For Surviving Spring Training":

Cold Weather

As a MLB player, you may be arriving to Florida to find cold weather, especially this year when you may have even seen snow! Fear not, for no one actually expects you to play in these types of conditions. And if you can get a group together to boycott the practices, even better. So what should you do instead? Play golf! According to the March 1, 1920 New York Times, six Yankees (including Babe Ruth) decided it was too cold to practice so they decided to go play golf instead (all articles may be clicked on to expand):

Hot Weather

Well once the cold weather passes, you know what's next, don't you? Yes, hot weather. And sometimes that Florida heat can get mighty hot. So how do you keep cool when this happens? According to Babe Ruth, the way to do it is to follow his slogan: "Keep cool with cabbage." Nothing says baseball quite like iced cabbage leafs wrapped around your head, does it? A 1927 New York Times "Sports of the Times" teaches one how to keep cool with cabbage, Ruth-style:

 

Losing Weight

The battle against corpulency is not one that is easily won. Guys like Oliver Perez, Pablo Sandoval, Rod Barajas and others come into camp this year needing to make sure they lose weight and keep it off. That's why Babe Ruth started his anti-fat battle early in 1926. By February 3rd, he was already heading down to Florida, having already worked with the great Artie McGovern on a training regiment to lose weight. A light training routine and special diet got it done for "the Bam"--according to this February, 1926 article from The Milwaukee Sentinel--and others can do the same:

Dealing with the Paparazzi

Jason Bay and Curtis Granderson are new to New York so they're both dealing with the hounding paparazzi and the media. They want a hundred and one pictures and, really, you just don't need to stand for it. There's a good way to go about this and a bad way. The bad way is to show the paparazzi your finger or push the cameraman like Kenny Rogers did in the 2006 playoffs. The good way, as Babe Ruth proved to The Miami News in October of 1921, is to show them your old, black, greasy glove instead. That way, you really show them your idea about what is news:

Contract Negotiations

After looking at how poorly Johnny Damon and Scott Boras handled his contract negotiations, it's time to look at how to do this process correctly. And although Damon was money-grubbing in a recession, Ruth did it in The Great Depression! So how did Ruth get through it with his persona unscathed? In March of 1930, Babe Ruth signed a two-year, $160,000 contract, making him the highest paid played by double the amount of any other player. He wanted a contract for $85,000 a season and gave an ultimatum that he would retire from baseball unless he got it. But once he said that, he realized he had screwed up so he asked the newspapermen for advice. They told him that most of the fans who wanted to come see him on opening day were unemployed and unable to afford the opening game and they would be pretty upset if a ballplayer "kicked" $80,000. So Ruth decided to settle. These are good lessons for people like Derek Jeter (who is about to become a free agent in this recession), Braden Looper (who is delusional and is currently holding out for a larger guaranteed contract), or Manny Ramirez (who always seems to threaten retirement/moving to Japan). From The Pittsburgh Press:

Relocation to Florida

The big question many Major Leaguers face is "should I relocate to Florida?" Many will just rent a place down there during Spring Training. Babe Ruth would disagree with you and say you should sell your Northeast farm and settle for an estate in Florida. "Farming is all right for a retired business man," Ruth said, "but for an active baseball player it's not so good." I agree. Also, as a baseball player you may have issues that your famous hats are too heavy on your head so why take the extra strain to farm? Sell that Northeast house and buy a place down in Florida. From the June 22, 1925 Lewiston Evening Journal:

 

Not Getting Into Trouble in Your Free Time

This is a big one for many Major Leaguers in spring training as players have more free time away from their families and children. Many caution tales tell of players spending too much time partying, with women, and in a general state of debauchery. But, Babe Ruth's tale from The Evening Independent in April of 1932 tells the tale of a man who did a deed that he felt so burdened with that he had to tell the press: he shot an alligator. There was no word whether Ruth was provoked by the beast or not, but the incident seemed to weigh on him for a sleepless week:

So there you have it: "The Babe Ruth Guide For Surviving Spring Training". Although these stories about Babe Ruth occurred between 65 and 80 years ago, they are still relevant today. Lessons from years ago can help you, the Major League Ballplayer, avoid issues while you are training for the upcoming season. Good luck!